BOBCATS TRADE FOR CHANCE AT OKAFOR OR HOWARD

The Charlotte Bobcats will fill their first roster today with mostly unheralded NBA players from the expansion list, but their star is now on the way.

They traded Monday for the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft, clearing the path to take either Emeka Okafor of Connecticut or high school sensation Dwight Howard. The Orlando Magic will take one of them at No. 1.

The Bobcats landed the No. 2 pick by sending their No. 4 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers and agreeing to take Clippers center Predrag Drobnjak in today's expansion proceeding. Charlotte also is sending a second-round pick to Los Angeles as part of the deal.

The Bobcats must take 14 players today, but only one from any team. Each of the other 29 NBA teams was able to protect eight players from the available list.

Although the official list has not been released, the Magic reportedly left guard Reece Gaines, center Zaza Pachulia, forward Britton Johnsen and guard DeShawn Stevenson unprotected.

"The Magic have an intriguing list," Bickerstaff said. "Once we finalize our plans, we'll see. We're looking for some young players who we think just need an opportunity. We'd also like to bring in two or three veterans to serve as mentors for the young guys, to give us some respect around the league."

Like many players on the expansion list, both Johnson and Stevenson are restricted free agents. If they are selected, they automatically become unrestricted, able to sign with any team except for the one they left. Stevenson came to Orlando from Utah in the trade of Gordan Giricek.

If the Bobcats want, there are plenty of high-priced veterans reportedly on the expansion list. Players like Antoine Walker, Penny Hardaway, Eddie Jones, Brian Grant and Kerry Kittles are available, but Bickerstaff said Monday that he doesn't expect to take any of them.

Charlotte will operate the first season with a salary cap of approximately $30 million, which is two-thirds of what the other teams will have.

The Clippers made the deal with the Bobcats because they were more interested in drafting high school point guard Shaun Livingston of Peoria, Ill., knowing they can get him at No. 4. They already were overloaded with forwards. They also wanted to clear Drobnjak off the salary cap.

Although they will fill a roster today, it's likely that only four or five of the expansion players will be there on opening day. Bickerstaff is expected to spend most of his salary-cap room on young free agents.